


The Portrait of a Lady

by ILLEGAILE



Category: Formula 1 RPF, Rush (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe, And James being JAMES, Librarian AU, M/M, Niki being a sassy little shit, RATED T FOR BAD LANGUAGE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-01-10
Packaged: 2018-03-06 22:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3150995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ILLEGAILE/pseuds/ILLEGAILE
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Sometimes I feel like I should be getting paid more to put up with this shit. (Librarian AU)"</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Portrait of a Lady

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, I'm pretty new at this site but I'll try to do my best anyway. This fic is from a prompt challenge I've taken up this year. I have to write a prompt every day and accomplish at least one every week. This is Week 1. The Portait of a Lady is a book, I had to search it up a bit to reference it but you can just generally search it up yourselves if you want to. You can also find this on my Tumblr. Enjoy~

Niki Lauda wasn’t stupid.

He knew what it meant to give up business school. He knew it would mean he was giving his father the biggest middle finger in history. At the time he really didn’t care as long as he got out of it. He never expected to end up being a librarian for a broken down library right across from an all boys boarding school. It also didn't help that most of said boarding school boys were attractive and made Niki ever so slightly bisexual.

Great, another thing his father could hate Niki for.

"Quit being such an asshole about it and have a little fun" his co-worker, Clay, always said as they rearranged the books for the third time that day. Which they wouldn't have to do if people returned the damned things to their proper shelves like decent people. But Niki couldn’t do anything about that so he just sucked it in, wiped his dusty hands on his jeans, and got back to work. It wasn't that he hated books, it was that he hated people who mistreated books.

Niki sighed at the worn out copy of “ _The Portrait of a Lady_ ” by Henry James and wondered if he could stow it in his satchel before Clay noticed. “We have to throw that out and get it changed” Clay sauntered over to where Niki was cradling the manuscript, attempting to pry the thing out of Niki’s grasp. “No, is a perfectly good book. Why can’t we just keep it?” Clay sighed, finally pulling it free from the Austrian’s cold fingers.

“Luca will be pissed” Clay reasoned, tucking the book under his arm and heading for the counter to place it with the other worn out novels. “Luca can screw himself” Niki muttered as he trudged out of the aisles, paying no attention to the student that was watching him and Clay as they spoke.

“You really shouldn’t be saying that” Clay said, taking the box full of books away from Niki when he sat at the counter for good measure.

“Henry James was a genius!” Clay rolled his eyes at him before leaving to dispose of the old manuscripts.

Niki sat at the counter and vented all of his resentment for Luca and for stupid institutions that wasted perfectly good books in his tiny notebook while checking out the books of some boy a little older than him.

The boy chuckled.

He **chuckled**.

Before Niki could do anything stupid he pressed his stamp onto the book - “ _Medicinal Plants and their Purposes_ ” - and shoved it in the boy’s direction.

"You look like you’re not having a very good day" Niki nearly groaned, he didn’t like to socialize. He was a sarcastic person to talk to on a normal day and this multiplied exponentially when he was annoyed. "Fuck off, Arschloch" he said, feeling as though his emotions could only be fully expressed in his native language.

"That’s not a very nice way to treat one of your customers" the boy grinned, and really Niki was just so tired. Most days he feels like he should get paid to put up with this kind of shit.

"Can I help you with anything else?" Niki looked up, only then did it sink in that the boy was actually strikingly handsome in a way with his blonde hair and blue eyes. He looked almost like one of the racing drivers Niki liked. The Austrian shook the thought away and scowled, earning another laugh from the golden haired boy.

"I think you can, actually. Could I have your number, perhaps?" The blonde leaned onto the counter, his face inches away from Niki’s. It took all of Niki’s resolve not to fall flat on the floor, he could feel his knees weakening. He gritted his teeth, the boy’s cocksure attitude both annoyed and attracted him that was for sure. But Niki could be a stubborn ass too when he wanted to be and if that was what the blonde was playing at then two could play at that game.

"Maybe" Niki stood up from his chair and met the blonde at eye level. If their faces were inches away before they must only be centimeters now. Niki could literally feel the boy’s breath on his face. Niki put on the most sultry smirk he could muster and whispered.

" _Or you could give me yours_ "

The blonde blinked at him in shock for a few moments before taking Niki’s hand and writing something on it with the black pen Niki was using to vent on his notebook, grinning all the while. "I’m not going to lie, I like you" the blonde nodded, pulling away from Niki. "But not that much" Niki grinned triumphantly at the blonde. "Now, what would give me that idea?" He retorted, pushing the book into the boy’s hands.

"Right. I’ll see you" the blonde laughed and winked at the brunette before making his way out of the library with his book in hand.

Niki looked down at his hand and at the numbers imprinted on it, deciding to save it on his contacts and take a picture of his hand to use it as the contact picture.

He stared at the name for a while, James.

Niki laughed. Somehow he wasn’t surprised.


End file.
